


Pipe Tobacco and Cinnamon

by whizzer



Category: Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, autistic characters, both ray and egon are autistic because i said so, just that cute shit, stimming baybe!, this is rlly egon heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 09:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18150017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whizzer/pseuds/whizzer
Summary: Dr. Egon Spengler and Dr. Ray Stantz have spent the last four years living above Ray's Occult Books. Saturday nights are routine.





	Pipe Tobacco and Cinnamon

Eleven o'clock on a Saturday night. One hour left. Saturdays were hell for Egon. Why the hell would Ray close at midnight? There was only so much experimentation he could do in his lab at Columbia and only so much picking up he could do in his and his boyfriend's shabby apartment above the occult book store, so he was defeated to go downstairs to the shop. Defeated wasn't necessarily the right word. Egon just worried far too much. Late at night like this, sometimes the wrong crowd would show up around the bookstore. Rowdy kids, abhorrent bigots, the works. Ray and Egon weren't necessarily loud about their relationship, but they weren't hidden. They exchanged small kisses when Egon was comfortable and often held hands, much to the disdain of certain patrons. Ray, in retaliation to a certain pair of annoying customers, hung the a small pride flag on one of the shelves of the store.

This particular Saturday was quiet. As Egon crept down the stairs to peak out from the banister, he saw Ray stocking one of the shelves as he spoke to a young woman with deep, black curls. Egon couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face every time he caught a glimpse of his boyfriend. It was instinctual at this point. Being with Ray had never occurred to him as something that would actually happen. He had dreamed it up years ago, but when Ray popped the question, he barely believed it. They had been held up in the lab, working with a tricky ectoplasm they had found at a scene. It was quiet but comfortably so, and Ray blurted out those words.

"Egon, I like you."

He felt like his world had been absolutely flipped. And then Ray asked him on a date. And Egon fell short of breath and panicked. He played with the end of the ornately designed tie he wore as he stumbled over his positive response. Egon can pinpoint that day as one of the best in his life, slight panic attack or not. 

And suddenly he was back in the present, watching Ray fix his glasses as he searched the wall for a book the woman wanted, taking in the strong scent of Ray's pipe tobacco. Slowly, he snuck behind Ray's cluttered desk and he sank down on the cool wooden floor beneath. He moved himself into the small area underneath and he took a deep breath. Tight spaces had always been a comfort for him. When he needed to calm down after a particularly difficult bust, he would frequently be seen underneath his lab's counters. He couldn't pin when it started, but he knew it dated back far before his adulthood. Now, he took refuge, waiting as Ray spoke to the kind sounding young woman. Egon always found himself breathing in time with the sounds of the shop, whether it be the footsteps or the gentle creaks of the floorboards as they settled (which Ray still believed was a haunting in the basement, even after deep inspection.) It calmed him. Being calm wasn't necessarily easy for him all the time, but he found serene times like this.

He checked the old watch on his arm. Only 11:20. But footsteps were nearing. They were coming behind the counter as others approached. And he soon saw Ray's familiar beat up, old oxfords. He was standing close, but it didn't worry Egon. Ray always knew better than to get to close to the small opening, especially on Saturdays. The young woman was checked out and after the small ring of the shop's doorbell, Ray was crouched down beside Egon.

"Hey, Egie." Ray's tone was gentle and calm, as always. Egon liked that about him. He never raised his voice at him and always made sure Egon knew what he meant. Distinguishing tone wasn't always easy for him, but Ray did a good job to help him understand. Ray was sat on his legs beside Egon, and he brushed a gentle kiss against his temple. Egon's eyes flashed over to him and he gave him a small, comfortable smile. He reached out and took Ray's left hand gently, the hand that wore a humble silver ring. 

The ring had been a part of a set of promise rings Egon had gotten them a year or so earlier. It was one of his more grand gestures in their relationship. The both of them wore their matching rings with pride. Often times, when Egon held Ray's hand, he would spin the ring. Times like these though, he would simply marvel at it. Despite their years together, he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw it. Egon stared down at his hand wordlessly and pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend's knuckles.

"I still believe this ring suits you incredibly." Egon spoke, sounding rather monotone.

Ray chuckled and he nodded. "I think you tell me that every time you look at it." He teased and Egon's smile grew, showing off the set of dimples Ray loved to kiss. 

"Only because it's true." He retorted, squeezing his hand gently, earning a squeeze in return. "When we can get married, I'll buy you a much better one." He spoke so easily of marriage when Ray was in the picture.

He had plotted for months on a way to get married to Ray. He had nearly gotten there, but Venkman's marriage license was a simple joke to lead Egon on. It was after that, that Egon settled on promise rings for the both of them. Ray had loved the idea, even though Egon had woken him up at the ungodly hour of seven A.M. to propose. 

Now, Ray was sat completely beside him, and after asking politely, he slipped his arm around the taller man's waist and pulled him gently against him. "I think I'm willing to close early tonight, Eges." He chuckled and Egon's smile returned. 

"Thank god. Ray, you really should be closing earlier." He rested his head against Ray's shoulder and gently closed his eyes. Pipe tobacco and cinnamon, probably the most familiar scent in the word to Egon. He relished in it, in being in Ray's arms, in being cuddled up against him while Ray spoke. He could barely hear as he got lost in his thoughts and his happiness.

It was only until Ray was picking him up slowly that Egon came back to the world. "Come on." Ray cooed comfortingly. "A bed is much more comfortable than the floor." Egon was resting his head against his chest again, and gave him a simple smile in return.


End file.
